Bayard Veiller

“ WALES. We're expecting great things from you to-night, Madame la Grange.
ROSALIE. Bien! I hope you will not be disappointed.
CROSBY (above table R., coming C. a step) . I suppose there are a lot of tricks that——
ROSALIE (interrupting him) . I suppose mine is the only trade in the world in which there are tricks, eh, monsieur?
MISS EASTWOOD (coming to ROSALIE C.) . Why shouldn't I meet Jimmy at the Ritz to-morrow?
ROSALIE. If you do, something awful may 'appen to 'im.
MISS EASTWOOD. What?
ROSALIE. If you keep meeting Jimmy 'e may marry you.
(MISS EASTWOOD moves up stage a step.) ”

“ THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR ACT I The SCENE is the Italian Room in ROSCOE CROSBY'S Home in New York. It is a handsome room. A plan of the setting will be found at the end of the play. As the curtain rises Miss HELEN O'NEILL and WILLIAM CROSBY are discovered standing R.C. They are in each other's arms, and the rising curtain discloses them as they kiss. The window blinds are drawn.
HELEN. I love you so.
WILLIAM. You are the most wonderful thing in all the world. ”

“ WILLIAM. Now then, Nell, out with it, get it all out of your system.
HELEN. In the first place, it's the money.
MRS. CROSBY. Yes, but—Helen—
HELEN. Please, let me say it all. You have social position, great wealth, charming friends, everything that makes life worth—Oh, what's the use? ”

“ MISS EASTWOOD. Oh, I can't believe that. Madame la Grange! I can see her now. Tall, black-haired creature, regular adventuress, see if she isn't. Isn't she, Mr. Wales?
WALES (in front of chesterfield) . She's the most remarkable woman I have ever known.
(Enter BUTLER from door L., coming well on stage) .
BUTLER. Madame la Grange.
(Enter MADAME ROSALIE LA GRANGE. She is a woman of about fifty. She speaks with a marked French accent.)
ROSALIE. Good evening everybody. (The men all rise.)
MRS. CROSBY. How do you do, Madame la Grange? ”

“ Only please go now.
(CROSBY goes out L. WILLIAM runs quickly to the door at L., closes it and then turns to ROSALIE, who is sitting up in her chair.)
ROSALIE (rises and crosses a step R.) . Well?
HELEN (R.C.) . It was the Eastwood girl. Her face was terrible. I was glad when she fainted.
WILLIAM (L.C.) . I think you're wrong. Standish ran away. He couldn't bear it.
ROSALIE. And that is all you saw? I told you to use your eyes and the brains that are at the back of them.
WILLIAM. Well, of course, there was Trent. You can't mean Trent? Why, he's the kindest man in the world. ”

“ WALES (moving to L.C., outside the circle) . You mustn't talk like that about him, Standish!
CROSBY (inside the circle and coming down C.) . The man's dead: why not let him rest in peace?
(STANDISH outside of circle L.C. seat.)
STANDISH. I didn't bring up the matter, you know, and I don't want to hurt Ned's feelings, but I know that the police found a lot of compromising letters and rotten things of that sort.
(WILLIAM and TRENT re-enter from R.C., each carrying two chairs. WILLIAM crosses and places two chairs R. side of circle then goes back to close the door.)
WALES (L.C.) . ”

“ I will go into the trance for you and it will be the real trance and not a fake. My spirit does control a little girl named Laughing Eyes.
CROSBY. Are you asking us to believe that the spirit of a dead child——
ROSALIE (C.) . To them that believe there is no death. Your own religion teaches you that.
CROSBY. But not that the spirits of the dead can come back to earth.
ROSALIE (moves to chair upper end of table R. CROSBY crosses to R. end of chesterfield) . Monsieur should go and read the Bible. I am not going to argue with any of you. ”

“ And it is not difficult to surmise that the person who killed Wales was actuated by the strongest of all motives—self-protection. So in all human probability the murderer of Wales was also the murderer of Spencer Lee. You see, ladies and gentlemen, that by the use of a little patience we have come a long way in our investigation. ”

“ Wales' overcoat?
WILLIAM. Yes, I think so.
ROSALIE. See if you can find for me a glove or something of 'is—and 'urry, mon Dieu, 'urry!
(WILLIAM runs off L. ROSALIE stands in thought for a moment, then she places a chair C. facing up stage. WILLIAM runs on again and hands her a glove.)
Did you get it?
WILLIAM (L.C.) . What are you going to do?
ROSALIE (L.C.) . Trick them. Lie to them. It is for Nelly. Do you blame me?
WILLIAM. What can I do to help?
ROSALIE. You are a man after my own 'eart. I am going to do something to put the fear of God into the 'eart of that murderer. ”

“ STANDISH (below table over R.) . Mr. Crosby, I must——
CROSBY. Mr. Standish, I just refused to let my own daughter leave the room.
(Slight pause.)
STANDISH. But don't you see, sir——
CROSBY. My dear Standish, poor Wales was killed by someone in this room. We are all of us under suspicion. Everyone of us. (Slight movement from all.) It's an awful thing to say—but one of us in this room has killed Wales. Which one of us?
(Knock on door down L.)
CROSBY. Yes.
POLLOCK (outside) . The police are here, sir. ”

“ CROSBY. All right then. You fasten the window. Billy, you and Brad go and get some chairs out of the dining-room. We'll need a lot.
(WALES walks up and down L. of stage. WILLIAM and TRENT go out door R.C.)
You put them in a circle, don't you? (Begins to place chairs in a circle C. The chair L. of the fireplace is brought down and placed in front of the chesterfield.) What are you going to do, Wales? Ask her a lot of questions?
WALES (L.) . I'm going to try to find out who killed Spencer Lee. ”

“ DONOHUE (brings chair and sits in front of table R.) . Now we're getting along. How well did you know Spencer Lee? (HELEN does not answer him—looking front.) You'd better make up your mind to talk. Do you hear? (HELEN does not speak. Losing his temper.) Why, you little fool, do you think you can fight me? (He turns sharply to face her, turning his back on the door at L.) You were the last person to see Spencer Lee alive. Yes, and you saw him dead, too. You heard Wales threaten to tell these fine people what he knew about you ”

“ Now, I'm not going to employ the usual police methods. There is to be no threatening or badgering. But you all can see that there can be no escape for the guilty person. I realize that this is a terrible situation for all of you, but the only way to relieve it is for the murderer of Mr. Wales to confess. (Another pause.) It will save a long, and I assure you, a very trying police investigation. ”

“ MRS. TRENT, MISS ERSKINE and STANDISH below door down L. TRENT, MRS. CROSBY, MISS EASTWOOD C. above door L. WILLIAM up R.C. All watch MASON. Suddenly the window curtains are thrown back, the blind runs up noisily and the lights go down. The street light strikes the knife in the ceiling, as it begins to fall. MASON'S eye follows the light. He sees the knife and gives a cry of horror as it strikes the table and sticks in front of him. MASON rushes up stage end of table R.)
MASON (with a cry) . I can't fight the dead. I can't fight the dead! ”

“ There 'ave been things I could not understand myself, messages from them that 'ave passed on, madame. There is a power—a wonderful power—that come to us. But you never can tell when it is coming. And if you waited for it you would starve to death. So when it is not there we use tricks.
MRS. CROSBY (seated at lower end of table at R.) . I think I understand.
ROSALIE. Do you, madame? I thought you would.
(She moves to and puts her hand-bag on the table R. MRS. TRENT, seated below door down L., is joined by WALES. MASON is standing in front of the fireplace.) ”

“ Standish, who has so pleasantly introduced himself to me, I know none of you. So I'll have to ask— (He stops suddenly and rises, facing them all. He points slowly to the chesterfield, facing fireplace up C.) That's rather a gruesome thing there. I think we'll move it into another room. Will some of you gentlemen carry Mr. Wales' body into the other room. (There is a pause. The men all hesitate. Finally MASON starts to move to chesterfield. DONOHUE is down stage R.C.) Thank you very much. ”

“ They are unquestionably Helen O'Neill's finger-prints. (HELEN is in WILLIAM'S arms. DONOHUE puts down the envelope. Then he picks up the cup and points to the finger-marks on it.) And so, Mr. Crosby, are these. There can be no doubt about it. There is never any doubt about this method of identification. In twenty years there has never been one mistake. We now have what we've been hunting for: the woman who went to Spencer Lee's rooms.
(DONOHUE steps back with a little gesture of triumph. CROSBY stands staring at the girl. ROSALIE comes to R. of HELEN, turns to her.) ”

“ WALES (L.C.) . Really, Madame la Grange? I'm afraid under the circumstances——
ROSALIE (getting hand-bag from chair) . I am very sorry, but I must go from 'ere.
MISS EASTWOOD (moving L. of ROSALIE) . I think it's a shame to bother her. And I think she's quite right to go. Her sort of tricks aren't for people of intelligence. ”

“ Once in a while I give advice. (She turns to MISS EASTWOOD.) If I was you, mademoiselle, I would not meet Jimmy at the Ritz at three o'clock to-morrow.
(All laugh. MISS STANDISH crosses to chesterfield C. and sits. Miss ERSKINE rises and crosses to table R. and sits in arm-chair upper end. MASON moves up and sits on up stage chesterfield. TRENT goes to L. end of chesterfield. MISS EASTWOOD is in front of table R. ROSALIE goes to WALES L.C. CROSBY seats MRS. CROSBY down stage end of table R., then crosses back of MISS ERSKINE to upper end of table.) ”

“ ROSALIE. She is shielding someone.
HELEN. No. No.
ROSALIE. That is the first lie you 'ave ever told me. I want to know who it is you are shielding? (HELEN does not answer. ROSALIE suddenly turns to WILLIAM.) She is your girl?
WILLIAM (L.C.) . Yes.
ROSALIE. Then make her tell.
WILLIAM (to HELEN C.) . Nell dear, you must——
HELEN. Billy, I can't.
CROSBY (drops down L. of group) . My dear, even if you're protecting someone else, I think you ought to tell us. ”

“ It is a message. Give me your 'and, mademoiselle.
(HELEN in a good deal of confusion gives ROSALIE her hand. ROSALIE stands and holds it. Her eyes are closed.)
There is nothing but 'appiness coming to you. The spirits tell me you are the favourite child of fortune.
(WILLIAM comes down to R.C.)
You will 'ave wealth and prosperity and 'appiness. You will marry the man you love, and you will be 'appy all your life,
(WALES goes up L. TRENT comes to ROSALIE a step. ROSALIE turns to the others.) ”

“ A real message. I will 'ave it in the dark, believing and trusting that I am to be shown.
(She crosses down to door L. and switches off the light. All the lights in the room are out. The spot from the window shines on the ceiling, brilliantly illuminating the knife. ROSALIE moves C.)
Laughing Eyes, have you a message for me? (She looks up at knife in ceiling.) Look at it! The knife!
(The door at L. opens, POLLOCK stands in the doorway. He sees that the lights are out and turns them on. Then he sees ROSALIE, who is standing C., facing front as in a trance.) ”

“ Young Mr. Crosby must 'ave sat by the light on purpose. And I am so sorry I did make the mistake about the young ladies. I do not know 'ow I came to make a mistake like that.
DONOHUE. Oh, well, if they couldn't remember where they sat, I don't see how I can expect you to be entirely accurate. (ROSALIE sits in arm-chair up C.) However, we're all right now. Now, Mr. Crosby.
CROSBY. Well, after Madame la Grange had shown how she broke out of——
DONOHUE. We'll start with the séance. (All look at DONOHUE.) I know how mediums break the circle and all that. ”

“ This is the right key for that door.
(The noise of the key being put into the lock can be heard, then the click as it is turned in the lock, then the door is opened, and INSPECTOR DONOHUE in plain clothes comes well on stage L. He is seen to be a clean-cut, intelligent-looking man of fifty. It later develops that he is reserved and extremely quiet in manner. He speaks like a gentleman and acts like one. SERGEANT DUNN enters also and drops below door L.)
DONOHUE. Where's Mr. Wales? ”

“ Table has been moved up and on stage about a foot. The knife that is to fall on given cue has been placed in slot in ceiling. The window blind is pulled down, the curtains on window are opened. Arm-chair back of table R. Chair below table R. Chair above table R. Chesterfield has been moved down stage C. about a foot. Shelf back of chesterfield has been fixed for WALES to lie on. Console table back in its original position, right end of chesterfield C. Chairs with upholstered seats put back to left and right sides of fireplace. ”

“ ROSALIE C., CROSBY R. end of chesterfield C. MRS. TRENT and STANDISH have moved down L. TRENT comes to L. of arm-chair. Miss ERSKINE seated on chesterfield up C. MRS. CROSBY at table R. WALES L.C. and MASON L.C.)
ROSALIE. Oh, no, madame. I should like to see the policeman that could frighten me. They are nice boys, the policemen.
MISS EASTWOOD (on the R. side of ROSALIE) . Mr. Wales tells us you are wonderful.
ROSALIE. All women are. ”

“ One light strip amber, in doorway R.C. and L.C. Two light strip amber, hung on fireplace backing. Two blue bunches outside window R., lit. Baby amber shooting across stage from window R. Baby amber striking mantel up C. from window R. Baby amber down L. at proscenium arch shooting across stage, lit. Blue baby focused to strike ROSALIE in chair C. from window R., OUT AT RISE. White frost spot in position outside of window R. to strike ceiling on cue, OUT AT RISE.
1ST CUE.—When ROSALIE lifts table first time sneak off baby down stage L., also baby from window R. that starts across stage. ”

“ ROSALIE (standing outside of circle L.) . Things 'appen in the dark. The sense of touch is not much developed except in those who are blind. When this young gentleman did let go my 'and to turn out the light, I did take my other 'and away from Mr. Crosby and when we joined 'ands again the two gentlemen were 'olding 'ands as comfortable as you please. And I was free. It is an old trick. All the mediums do use it. Anyone can do it. (She moves back to her chair and sits.) ”